‘Cool’ is a je ne sais quoi characteristic of a brand. It’s nebulous and hard to explain or pinpoint. ‘Cool’ simply is. So, it makes sense, then, that many brands might confuse ‘cool’ with what’s working for them or other successful brands out there.

Throughout our work as a brand consultancy and creative studio here in Los Angeles and beyond, we’ve had countless conversations about millennials and Gen Z. Clients want to know these social-native unicorns.. Who are they? What do they give a shit about about? What inspires them?

First, let us say that the word ‘marketing’ may need a rebrand — but that’s for another time. Our clients often come to us with questions like “what works with Millennials?” or “how do we reach Gen Z?” But in our mind, ‘marketing’ has never been easier.

For the most successful brands of today — you know, the ones that inspire genuine enthusiasm and real deal, on-the-ground evangelists who tell their friends how amazing your product is — transparency is what really separates the YES-PLEASES from the has-beens.